


nights at sea

by salipawpaw



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Acting, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Bad Flirting, Courtroom Drama, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Mock Trial, Pirate Activities, Pirate King - Freeform, Reminiscing, Theft, but only pretend, everyone is a pirate, hopefully, lol, mingi yelling, wooyoung's underwear
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2019-09-24
Packaged: 2020-10-27 10:01:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20758541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/salipawpaw/pseuds/salipawpaw
Summary: When pirates are bored, it's a common pastime to hold mock-trials in a sham court. It's fun and all, trying to own up to outrageous claims of piracy that no one could ever commit, but Seonghwa swears that whenever he's the 'defendant,' everyone seems ten times more enthusiastic to embarrass him.Pillaging the Navy? He's fine with that charge. Taking the captain's jewelry? That's okay, too.Butstealing the crew's underwear?He wouldn't even do that in real life!





	nights at sea

**Author's Note:**

> pirates are hilarious i love them. pls enjoy
> 
> (if ur here bc ur waiting for skz fics,,,,,,,read end notes)

The night is a cold one—chill in Seonghwa’s bones and veins, ocean air tickling his skin. It’s mostly quiet—solemn, even—with the only noise being the creak of the ship’s floorboards beneath his feet. He has—

(Uh, what is the scene? Ah, yes—)

He has _snuck onto the ship_ in the middle of the night all own his own, as any _brave_ pirate would, but Seonghwa mayhaps be the bravest of them all.

Yes, indeed. Only the bravest of the brave would choose to raid the one and only _Pirate King_’s mighty vessel _on his own _at _midnight_.

Or, you know. The dumbest of the dumb.

“YAH!” calls a voice. Seonghwa’s head whips around to look for the source of the sound. “Who are you!”

The man facing him is the most beautiful man that Seonghwa has ever seen; cherry red hair falls charmingly over a boyish face. His eyes are feline and lips vulpine when he sneers, features still prominent under the wide brim of his feathered hat.

“Kim Hongjoong,” Seonghwa breathes, eyes brightening. Someone kicks him in the leg.

(_“Stay in character, hyung!” _they hiss. Seonghwa only glares at Yeosang.)

Hongjoong looks like he’s about to laugh, but he manages to suppress it. Certainly a talented man! Seonghwa is smitten. He is almost ashamed to pillage the vessel of such a fine husband candidate.

“Yah, how can you be Kim Hongjoong!” Hongjoong waggles his “sword” at Seonghwa—it’s just a stick, really, but— “_I’m _Kim Hongjoong! Captain of the Aurora!”

“No, I'm—” Seonghwa forgets himself. “I’m Park Hwa—Hwaseo—!”

“Park Hwaseong?” Hongjoong scoffs. “How dare you raid my ship, Park Hwaseong!”

“I have not raided your ship, you madman!” Seonghwa manages, willing himself not to preen at the way Jongho shoots him a thumbs up from behind a barrel. He’s sure he failed, though. “I have merely come to—to impart my greetings!”

“He lies!” cries Wooyoung, popping out of nowhere to pull a golden necklace out of Seonghwa’s pocket. “Captain! This is from your personal collection!”

“And this—!” cries another voice—San this time. “This is from _my _collection!”

For a moment San reaches around Seonghwa’s behind and manages to pull something out of Seonghwa’s pockets. It doesn’t really register until Hongjoong’s face goes red that San has held up a pair of Wooyoung’s undergarments.

“Yah! Why would you show that!” shrieks Yeosang, jumping out from behind Seonghwa. “What even—!”

“Heavens! He stole it!” Wooyoung gasps with exaggeration, falling into San’s awaiting arms as he wipes his brow. “This is unacceptable, captain! I have longed for my undergarments for several years!”

“_Years?_” Hongjoong roars. “That is horrendous! Tie him up, Wooyoung-ah!”

“Captain, sir!” Wooyoung salutes. “What if he likes it!”

Hongjoong gives him a sour look. “Never say that to me again.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Just—just don’t tie it too tight,” Seonghwa mumbles. He endures it as Wooyoung procures a rope and ties his hands behind his back.

“Shame on you, intruder-nim!” calls a voice—Mingi—from the top of the crow’s nest. “Wooyoung’s buttocks have suffered because of you!”

“Don’t call him -nim!” shouts Yunho with exasperation. He’d been hiding at the foot of the mast, likely where Mingi had been before he got bored of waiting and climbed up. “And get down from there!”

“But Yunho-hyung, this is the only place where I can be eye to eye with you!”

“I’ll _throw_ my eye at you, cur,” Yunho threatens. He opens his pouch as if to pull something out, but he (very falsely) gasps and turns to glare at Seonghwa. “My glass eye! It’s not here!”

“She is here, in intruder-nim’s pocket!” Yeosang supplies, triumphantly raising a glass eye. It’s pristine—practically unused considering Yunho has never lost an eye. “He has stolen from you, too!”

“I will not tolerate such blatant thievery,” Hongjoong cuts in. His eyebrows are furrowed, but the mirth in his eyes is still visible to Seonghwa. Honestly, that’s probably why he keeps agreeing to this. “What do you have to say for yourself!”

Seonghwa scoffs to the best of his ability and turns away his face. “I refuse to speak without a lawyer!”

“Lawyer?” San repeats, voice mocking. “On this vessel there are no laws!”

“HALT!” Jongho’s voice booms. He emerges, graceful and proud, from within the confines of the captain’s chamber. “These are not international waters! There are laws!”

(“Woohoo, laws!” someone cheers. Seonghwa suspects it’s Yeosang, but laws probably have nothing to do with his excitement.)

“YOUR HONOR!” Mingi shouts from the crow’s nest. “HELLO YOUR HONOR!”

“HELLO! MY GOOD FRIEND…” Jongho waves up at him before squinting at his palm. “...JEONG MINGI.”

Yunho reddens. “J-Jeong?”

“Sir, that’s not his name,” says Yeosang, waving his arms to get Jongho’s attention. “His name is Song Mingi!”

“It’s not Jeong?” 

Yeosang shakes his head. Jongho strokes his chin. 

“It might as well be.”

Yunho squawks. “JONGHO!”

“That’s _Your Honor_ to you, scurvy mutt!” Jongho waggles his stick—sorry, his _sword_—in Yunho’s general direction. “I’m in charge here!”

“YOUR HONOR IS IN CHARGE!” Mingi cheers. “HURRAY!”

“Your Honor!” San interrupts, accidentally jostling the Wooyoung in his arms. “What shall we do about the thief!”

“YOUR HONOR!” shouts Mingi with his whole chest. “I PROPOSE WE TOSS HIM TO THE WOLVES!”

Yunho facepalms. “Mingi, we are on the OCEAN—”

“THE SHARKS!” Wooyoung perks up. “FEED HIM TO THE SHARKS!”

“Boys!” Hongjoong scolds. “_I _declare his punishment!”

“Not so fast, punks!” Jongho’s voice booms. “There must be a fair trial!”

“I agree with this,” Seonghwa contributes, though he doesn’t know to what extent. “Where is my lawyer, Pirate King?”

“_I _will be his lawyer,” says Jongho, face pleased. “I will defend you well, Park Seonghwa.”

“Who’s Park Seonghwa?” Hongjoong teases, eyes glancing knowingly over Seonghwa’s figure. “This intruder-ssi is Park Hwaseong!”

“He’s a liar, Captain,” Yunho says, jogging up to join Hongjoong. He brandishes a piece of parchment in front of Hongjoong. It’s an old wanted poster, the previous portrait blacked out with… coal? An incredibly crude drawing of Seonghwa is done beside it. He only knows it’s him because his name is scribbled hastily at the top, over someone else’s name. “See? His name is Park Seonghwa.”

Hongjoong fakes a gasp. “Lies _and _theft? You truly are heinous, intruder-ssi!”

“What if Park Hwaseong was a real person?” Yeosang chimes. “You’d be charged for identity theft, hyung.”

“IDENTITY THEFT!” Mingi cries. “HE’S COMMITTED IDENTITY THEFT!”

“AND LARCENY!” Wooyoung adds. “Larceny against my buttocks!”

“I’m surprised you know what larceny even means,” says Jongho. “My client is innocent of any crime committed on this vessel!”

“Order in the court!” Hongjoong demands, thumping his sword stick against the floor. “I’m your judge now, Park Seonghwa!”

“Settle down, everyone!” says Jongho, like a shepherd among lost lambs. “Find a seat and we shall commence the trial!”

Hongjoong’s crew members scramble to seat themselves—Mingi clambering out of the crow’s nest as fast as he can—around Seonghwa like they’re in some sort of cult. But then again, being part of the crew of the Aurora is like being in a cult, with how reverently they view their captain. Seonghwa has grown numb to it.

“Calling the case of the crewmen of the Aurora versus the accused, Park Seonghwa,” says Hongjoong, pointing his stick at Seonghwa. “Are both sides ready?”

“YEAAAAAH!” Mingi whoops. “I WAS BORN READY!”

A chorus of cheers and exclamations of excitement erupt from the crew. Seonghwa sighs. He doesn’t know why they’re always so eager to convict Seonghwa when it’s his turn to be the accused.

“Yunho-yah, opening statements, please.” Hongjoong waves his hand. “What crimes has Park Seonghwa been charged with?”

Yunho clears his throat, rising to speak.

“Your Honor and ladies of the jury: Park Seonghwa has been charged with the crime of false identity and the theft of Kim Hongjoong’s engagement necklace and Wooyoung’s—” Yunho coughs to stifle a snicker. “Wooyoung’s undergarments—incredibly insulting to one Choi San, Your Honor. Evidence will prove that he is guilty.”

“It’s true, your honor, I was there when it happened,” Wooyoung agrees solemnly. Seonghwa huffs.

“Your Honor! Your witnesses bear false claims,” Jongho rebuts. “My client was framed!”

“How so, attorney?” Hongjoong inclines his head. “You are pleading innocence?”

“Exactly, Your Honor. My client is not a petty thief, no,” Jongho tuts. He claps Seonghwa’s shoulder and Seonghwa nearly falls on his ass—god help him, Jongho has no idea how strong he is. “My client is better than that.”

“BOOOOO!” Mingi howls. “TELL THE TRUTH!”

“He’s telling the truth,” says Seonghwa. “I am not a petty thief. I am the greatest kind of thief—!”

Wooyoung gasps, shaking Yeosang by the arm.

“HE’S A PIRATE,” Wooyoung exclaims. “YEOSANG, HE’S A PIRATE—”

“Lies!” says Yeosang. “I have never heard of Park Seonghwa in my entire life of piracy!”

“You’ve never heard of me?” Seonghwa fakes a smirk. “I’m not just any pirate, I’m Sailor Mars—”

“_SAILOR MARS_,” Wooyoung echoes.

“OBJECTION, YOUR HONOR!” Mingi raises a hand. “SEONGHWA-HYUNG DOESN’T DESERVE THAT NAME—”

Yunho kicks him. “You’re not supposed to call him hyung!”

“He’s _the _Sailor Mars?” Hongjoong fakes a gasp. At least he’s playing along. “Impossible!”

“It’s true, Your Honor, he’s the one and only.” Jongho nods. “He cannot possibly be anyone else. He’ll even tell you about his adventures of piracy!”

“I’ve pillaged hundreds upon hundreds of ships, all on my own,” Seonghwa says proudly. It _was_ true, at least until he tried to attack Hongjoong’s humble vessel ages ago, long before their current crew was assembled. “I was the one who caused the downfall of the Gold Pearl of the Japanese navy. Yes, _that _one.”

A chorus of gasps echoes amongst the crowd.

Truthfully, that one hadn’t been just him, but it was his most prestigious achievement, so to speak. It had been after he had started working for Hongjoong, but before the rest of their remaining crew had joined. They’d fought long and hard with their old crew, and it was the most terrifying night of Seonghwa’s life. But their current crew doesn’t need to know that.

“Tell us more!” San calls out. “How did you defeat the general?”

Seonghwa turns around with a grin. “That old man? I slayed him with my rapier, of course!”

“How?” Yeosang asks, genuinely curious. He’d known of this, unlike the rest of their crew, but he doesn’t know the full story. “Did you have help?”

“I had help destroying the vessel, but I slayed the general myself,” Seonghwa brags. 

“But the Pearl was so huge,” Wooyoung says. “How did you destroy it?”

Seonghwa’s throat goes a little dry at that, but he clears his throat anyway. He’s sure Hongjoong wouldn’t mind if he shared this story—it’s for mock-trial night, anyway. “I had sneaked into the gunners’ quarters, rapier in hand, and stolen a fresh set of those newfangled bombs—”

(He can see Hongjoong in the corner of his eye, solemnity in his features. He remembers this, too—of course he does, he was there when Seonghwa had tumbled out of the quarters. He’d been worried sick; Seonghwa didn’t tell him where he was going.)

“But when I came out, the general’s men had defeated my crew!” Seonghwa exclaims, watching his crewmates faces morph into shocked expressions, especially Yeosang. “_Surrender!_ They told me; they said I could never defeat them single-handedly. But I had faith in my captain.”

“Wait, you weren’t the captain—?” Seonghwa ignores San.

“So I pretended to release my weapon,” he continues. “I waited for the navy to drop their guard. They had taken us below deck as prisoners, and they were foolish enough to assume we wouldn’t try to escape. In their defense, the Gold Pearl was a fine, large vessel—”

(Hongjoong nods, he remembers that, too—the cold of the prisoner’s chambers biting into the skin of their flesh as they huddled together for warmth. They’d been thrown into a room together, separate from the rest of their crew. Throughout the night Seonghwa could hear screams from outside, hauntingly familiar and painful to the chest. Lord knows why they weren’t tortured along with them. Their crew had good, loyal men, and yet…)

(Hongjoong shivers. Neither of them can forget the sound.)

“My captain and I used a knife concealed in his boot to sever our restraints. It was fortunate that they did not search our persons,” said Seonghwa. His heartbeat picks up a little at the memory—he’s sure that if Hongjoong’s knife had been discovered back then they would be dead by now. Or enslaved to the Japanese navy, but Seonghwa knows both of them well enough to know that neither would submit to the men that imprisoned their crew.)

“It was in the dead of the night that we had tip-toed out of our prison,” he continues. “Things were going well. We had found a few of our remaining crew, but our numbers were greatly decreased. Even so, there were too many of us.”

(Seonghwa remembers the way his heart had clenched seeing his crew beaten and battered. Most of them were limping, one or two missing a few fingers. The ship’s second in command had known it would be the greatest torture for a captain to see his crew like this. Sometimes Seonghwa wonders if they’d intended to show them their corpses in the morning. Hongjoong could barely contain his rage then, but now the only thing Seonghwa can see in his eyes when he reminisces is sorrow.)

“We were in a hallway—one I’d recognized as the hall leading to the gunners’ quarters. Our plan was to sneak in undetected and take more bombs—one for each of us—but we were discovered.” Their crew was listening intently now, enraptured by the sincerity in Seonghwa’s words. “We only saw one guard, and we got rid of him quickly, but we were fools. We didn’t notice we were being watched, and by the time we had gotten to the top deck we were faced with the general’s entire crew.”

“How did you get out of that?” Mingi murmurs, clutching onto Yunho’s arm like a lifeline. “You got out, right?”

“Of course he got out, Mimi-yah,” Yunho soothes. “He’s here now, isn’t he?”

“We got out.” Seonghwa gives them a bittersweet smile. _They _did. Only him and Hongjoong. Only them. “Our crew did not.”

Yeosang’s eyes glisten. “Your crew?”

“The bravest, most loyal men to exist,” Hongjoong adds, breaking his silence. There’s a controlled strain in his voice, and it sends a pang straight to Seonghwa’s chest. He doesn’t say anything else, and their current crew stares at him in wonder. He ducks his head and motions for Seonghwa to continue.

“Indeed. The bravest,” Seonghwa murmurs. He hesitates. “They—they fought to the end for us. We—my captain and I—thought it was over, then. But our crew didn’t give up on us. They shared one look among one another—_one look_, and they all thought the same thing. They would let us survive no matter what. They stole our bombs and charged straight into the general’s men, shouted for us to abandon ship, and _threw _us off when we refused.”

“My god,” Yunho murmurs, eyes wide. He strokes Mingi’s hair almost as if trying to comfort himself rather than Mingi.

“The Gold Pearl exploded,” Seonghwa says. He tries to smile, but he’s sure it looks like a grimace. “Destroying the enemy, but destroying our crew, too.”

“That’s enough, hyung,” says Jongho firmly. “You’ve... pled your case.”

Seonghwa inhales. Right, mock-trial. This was supposed to be pretend. Maybe he didn’t need to say that last part. His crew is all sad now.

“Jury, decision?” Hongjoong chirps, as if Seonghwa hadn’t just exposed their best kept secret. He’d known it would upset them. “Guilty or not?”

“Is the story true?”

It’s Mingi, eyes shining with unshed tears. “Did the crew really… die?”

A pause.

“No, of course not,” Hongjoong scoffs. “They’ve only retired and are relaxing in Jeju-do.”

Seonghwa sighs in relief. “Yeah, that… was only for the mock trial.”

_Liars, both of you,_ Yeosang mouths to Seonghwa. Seonghwa kicks him.

“WHAT!” Mingi springs onto his feet, unknowingly sending Yunho to the floor. “YOU’RE SAYING I WAS ABOUT TO CRY FOR NOTHING?”

“You elbowed me in the jaw!” Yunho complains, slapping Mingi’s behind. Seonghwa grimaces as he watches Wooyoung gasp.

“YOU SLAPPED HIS BUTT!”

“As if you’re not used to seeing that—”

“SHARKS! SEND HIM TO THE SHARKS!” Mingi wails, pointing accusingly at Seonghwa. “GUILTY, I SAY! IT’S PERJURY!”

“Objection, Your Honor!” Jongho raises his hand. “None of us took an oath!”

“Contempt of court!” says San. “They’re disrespecting the court, Your Honor!”

“But it’s true they never took an oath,” says Hongjoong, tutting at himself. “We cannot charge them for perjury.”

Seonghwa once more sighs in relief. At least the courtroom act is back in full swing.

“But he stole Wooyoung’s undergarments!” San exclaims, waving the thing around. “He’s guilty of theft!”

“You put that in his pocket,” Yeosang says nonchalantly. He claps a hand over his mouth.

Mingi glares. “Not helping!”

“Order in the court!” Hongjoong taps his stick against the floorboards. “Park Seonghwa! What is your response?”

“...I have never stolen anything on this vessel,” Seonghwa says, grin beginning to bloom on his lips. “Except… your heart.”

Hongjoong looks at him. He looks at Hongjoong.

“EWWWW!” Mingi yells, faking a gag. “GET OUT OF HERE!”

“You’re vile and disgusting,” says Yeosang, pretty face twisted in disgust. “Guilty. Definitely guilty.”

“SEND HIM TO JAIL!” Wooyoung howls. “THIS GROSS MAN DOESN’T BELONG ON THE POOP DECK!”

Hongjoong is red all over. “_Hyung_, what the—”

“I don’t regret a thing,” Seonghwa says. “I said what I said.”

“Your Honor, permission to toss the defendant overboard,” says Jongho.

“But you’re my lawyer?”

Jongho doesn’t miss a beat. “And what about it?”

“The jury finds the defendant guilty,” Yunho cuts in. “There you go, everyone.”

“WOOHOO!” Mingi cheers. “GET HER, JADE!”

“GUILTY!” Hongjoong squawks. “SAN-AH! SEND HIM TO THE DUNGEONS!”

Without a word San unties him and starts to drag him to “jail”—the kitchens, that is; if anyone is found guilty during a mock-trial they have to wash the dishes—and Hongjoong turns on his heel.

“Wait!”

Hongjoong turns to look at him with a sneer. “WHAT.”

“Do you think I’m cute? Be honest,” Seonghwa says. “This is a court of law after a—”

Hongjoong throws the stick at him.

Seonghwa only dodges and laughs, fleeing from the angry shouts of his crew members into the kitchens. 

He’s glad, he thinks. That mock-trial was a little… much. Washing the dishes alone is the exact kind of mindless, therapeutic activity that he needs to calm down. For a while it’s all he does, not really thinking of anything else, but eventually the door creaks open and someone walks up behind him.

“Yah, why’d you bring that up?”

Ah, it’s Hongjoong. He’s in his sleep clothes now. He must not have been able to sleep—they usually sleep together.

“Bring what up, jagiyah?” Seonghwa smiles at him. “Why are you still up?”

Hongjoong rolls his eyes. “Why are you?”

“I’m washing dishes.”

“Washing _clean_ dishes?” Hongjoong gestures to the stack of pristine plates at Seonghwa’s side. “Come on, hyung. I know you. Why’d you start talking about them? You know it’s painful for us both.”

Seonghwa shrugs. “I wanted to stay in character.”

“Hyung…” Hongjoong warns. He sighs when Seonghwa doesn’t say anything. Gingerly, he tiptoes into Seonghwa’s space and hugs him from behind. “I’m not going to force you into telling me the real reason. Just—don’t be upset by yourself.”

“I’m not… I’m not _upset_,” Seonghwa murmurs, putting down a plate. “I’m just… nostalgic.”

“What do you mean?”

“Remember when we used to do this with them?” Seonghwa pauses. “I had no idea what was going on the first time I was ‘on trial’, but they played along anyway.”

“They thought you were an idiot,” Hongjoong snorts. “Seriously, what were you thinking, trying to raid my ship on your own back then?”

“I was supposed to take over stealthily. How was I supposed to know none of you ever slept?” Seonghwa nudges his foot. “Besides, it worked before…”

“Before, as in, when you were with the worst crew on the planet?” The disgust is _audible _in Hongjoong’s voice. “You _know _they’d always been toying with you. They didn’t actually think you could take over the Aurora on your own.”

“Well, they did take me in…” Seonghwa mumbles. He takes Hongjoong’s arms off of his waist and turns to face him. “Sorry, jagi. I know I shouldn’t sympathize with them.”

“Aish, don’t apologize,” Hongjoong squeezes his hands. “You were with them since childhood. It’s just the brainwashed little kid telling you it’s okay. As long as you know _we’re _your family now…”

Seonghwa smiles, warmth in his chest. “Am I your wife, then?”

“No,” Hongjoong says with a voice so sure that Seonghwa recoils a little. “Don’t get me wrong. Soon, you will be.”

“Hongjoong-ah,” Seonghwa gasps. “Is that a proposal?”

“It’s not a proposal, I already know you’ll say yes.” Hongjoong grins at him. “Right, jagi?”

Seonghwa nearly melts. Hongjoong doesn’t often call him by any pet names, but god, does Seonghwa die when he does. He’s usually shy with affection, too, but this… is just perfect.

“Right,” Seonghwa says, eyes lighting up and something soft blooming in his chest. “Of course.”

And the way Hongjoong smiles then—it’s enough for Seonghwa to endure a thousand nights at sea.

**Author's Note:**

> wow that was cheesy i hope u liked it!!!
> 
> p.s. my skz fics are on hold because ive run out of writer juice im,,,so sorry,,,,,  
p.p.s. ok no but i really am stuck on my skz fics, i cant seem to write them well at the moment,,, hopefully i can get back to it in the future ;-;


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